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On the evening of 15 March 2026, at approximately 2100, a track worker was struck and killed by an East Midlands Railway train travelling at approximately 110mph. The incident occurred on the Midland Main Line between Radlett and Elstree and Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

What is confirmed

The worker was one of two members of staff carrying out track measurements on the Down Fast line. The work was taking place within a line blockage of the Down Fast line — meaning that line was closed to traffic. However, the adjacent Up Fast line remained open to rail traffic at the time of the incident.

The repair work was taking place following an embankment failure in the area.

RAIB investigation

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has confirmed it is investigating the fatality. The investigation will examine the sequence of events, the actions of those involved and what may have influenced them, and the way the work was planned and risk was managed.

The RAIB investigation is independent of any Office of Rail and Road investigation. A final report has not yet been published. This article will be updated when findings are released.

What managers must consider now

While the investigation is ongoing and no findings have been published, the confirmed facts raise important questions about safe system of work planning — specifically, the management of risk when one line is blocked but an adjacent line remains open to high-speed traffic.

Track workers and their managers must ensure that the limits of any possession or line blockage are clearly understood, and that the proximity of open, running lines is explicitly addressed in the briefing before work begins.

GB Rail Training assessments cover safe system of work planning, COSS responsibilities, and the management of adjacent line open (ALO) risk. Managers can track team competence in real time.

Source: RAIB confirmed investigation statement, March 2026. Rail Magazine. Investigation ongoing — no findings published at time of writing.